MUBADALA DC OPEN

July 30, 2026

Cruz Hewitt

Press Conference

A. de MINAUR/C. Hewitt

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Cruz, give us your thoughts on the match and playing someone like Alex that you know so well.

CRUZ HEWITT: Yeah, that was a very special match, special moment I think for both of us. I've looked up to him my whole life pretty much, seen him play so many times, practiced together.

As I said, he's like my brother, so it was special to share the court, and I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I know you said earlier in the week that you wanted to focus on enjoying this match and kind of being out here for the first time. I'm curious, going forward for the rest of the year, what are you looking forward to? What are you excited about?

CRUZ HEWITT: Yeah, I think I'm excited hopefully to get some opportunities to play in some bigger tournaments maybe as well and just looking forward to having fun competing and see how good I can play, how well I can play, and I think keep training hard and working hard, and I think that will help get me there.

Q. Anything surprise you about this match? I guess when the scoreboard started going very quickly at the beginning, it got 5-0 fairly quickly, how did you work to find the brakes and change momentum a bit?

CRUZ HEWITT: Yeah, I think I just tried to stick to my game a little bit. Alex was playing really well. He came out firing at the start, playing well. I think he played a great match as well. He served really well.

I just tried to stay out there competing and enjoy it. As I got into the match, I just served a little better towards the end I think, which helped me, and I started making more balls as well.

All credit to him. He played an amazing match.

Q. What is your first memory of being with Alex?

CRUZ HEWITT: I do remember when we went to Newcombe Medal together, that night when he won the Newcombe Medal, going on the carpet together. I think he might have been staying at my house at the time, so I think we were getting ready together I think around that time and stuff like that. No, it was a special night with him.

Then obviously throughout the time since then, been at most of the tournaments with him either watching him on the sidelines, picking up the balls on his court for practice, stuff like that. So it's been a few years and a lot of memories.

Q. When you were little, did you play cards with him, do other stuff besides hitting tennis balls? As he said, he stayed at your house and things like that.

CRUZ HEWITT: Yeah, we do a lot of things. I don't know, just chill at the house. Just, I don't know, a lot of things. Yeah, it's fun.

Q. Escape rooms, video games, anything like that?

CRUZ HEWITT: No, no escape rooms. I don't remember too many things. Maybe some video games, but yeah, it was just fun.

Q. I know you have loftier goals looking ahead, but as far as these past few weeks, the run at Wimbledon, what you were able to accomplish and do here in Washington, what does this do for you, and maybe what did you learn that you still have left as far as building off this in the weeks ahead?

CRUZ HEWITT: Yeah, I think I just keep playing, try and keep playing the best tennis, train hard off the court, and then, you know, when I get the opportunities, hopefully I get some more opportunities to play in the bigger tournaments, I can hopefully showcase some improvement as well even from this week.

Then obviously, yeah, just see how well I can play for the rest of the year.

Q. What is the itinerary, Cruz? Where do you go from here, literally? Where are you playing over the next few weeks? Making it to New York maybe?

CRUZ HEWITT: I think I'm meant to play two futures in America still, so I think maybe one in Memphis and Michigan. So probably play them in the next few weeks.

Q. Alex mentioned after the match how one of the things he said to you was, I look forward to playing you for the next ten years. I wanted to get your perspective on that moment of the handshake with him after that match and what that moment meant to you.

CRUZ HEWITT: Yeah, a very special moment. Yeah, he did say, We could be playing the next ten years or so, which gets me excited. It was a lot of fun today, just the preparation, the build-up. I think it was a special day for both of us.

It makes me excited that hopefully there's another possibility that we can play another match against each other.

Q. You moved up with this run about 240 or so spots in the rankings, which is pretty good for one week. I'm curious for you, how much does that feel like you've made that big of a step? Then also, I think you mentioned after the Wimbledon Final that you were hoping to get an Australian Open main draw men's wild card for next year. Do you feel like this run hopefully strengthens your case for that?

CRUZ HEWITT: Yeah, I think a little bit. Obviously that's my goal. That's where I want to be.

I feel like I can play the good tennis to be there, and I feel like I've matured to play men's tennis more, in the last few months especially. You know, I'll see what happens. That would be a dream to play in the main draw of a Grand Slam. So, no, I hope that happens.

But definitely this week it helped my ranking a lot with the win. But, no, I'm just grateful to get the opportunity and get the wild card from the tournament to play in qualifying as well.